Lausanne, Switzerland, September 10, 2017 – The teams of France and Brazil will open the 2017 edition of the FIVB Men's World Grand Champions Cup in Japan. Tuesday’s match in Nagoya will be their first encounter in the history of the World Grand Champions Cup, but will also be a repeat of this year’s World League final.
Head-to-Head
• Defending champions Brazil and debutants France will meet for the first time in the World Grand Champions Cup.
• This will be a replay of the 2017 World League final, when France beat Brazil 3-2 in Curitiba.
• The last time Brazil recorded a competitive win over France was at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, when the hosts won 3-1 in the preliminary round.
France
• France will make their first appearance at the World Grand Champions Cup and could become the first debutants to win the competition (inaugural edition in 1993 not included).
• France are the World League titleholders (2017).
• The French lost their European Championship crown from 2015 after a defeat in the eighthfinals of this year's European Championship.
• Only in 2005 and in 2009 the winner of that year's World League also won the World Grand Champions Cup - both years Brazil achieved this double.
Brazil
• Defending champions Brazil have won four of the previous six editions of the World Grand Champions Cup, only failing to lift the trophy in 2001 and 1993 when they finished as runners-up.
• Brazil have lost just three of their 30 World Grand Champions Cup matches. All three defeats came in five sets.
• Brazil have won 27 World Grand Champions Cup matches, at least 12 more than any other team (Cuba are on 15 wins).
• Brazil have lost only one of their last 17 World Grand Champions Cup matches, the 2-3 defeat against Russia in 2013.